[Sean Flynt]

Does anybody have experience with this sword?

[Bill Grandy]

Yes, its really "tanky". Its fairly hefty combined with a very forward balance point. In addition to being sluggish, its not very attractive up close. The lines of the hilt are very modern looking, in sort of a cheap looking way. The engraving on the blade also looked very bad. This is not one of Windlass's better offerings.

[Nathan Robinson]

I thought about buying one just to get the blade... I even thought I'd do so and pass the hilt onto Sean. Ironic.

[Gary B. Ledford]

I bought it planning on using the blade for a different sword, but when I got it, I had the opposite reaction as Bill; I found it rather more attractive in person than the pictures led me to expect.

The blade IS heavy, but I know you can handle the proper modifications to improve the proportions (it does need a half inch or so removed from the blade and added to the handle), which would improve the balance greatly.

With your abilities, I think you could make it into something really nice. The etching, if not perfect ,is nicely deep, and mine has no noticeable flaws. The blade just begs to be antiqued.